The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District, said that construction operations for the Pinellas County Beach Erosion Control Project will begin in July.
A portion of the work is in response to impacts from Tropical Storm Debby’s passage in 2012, and is 100 percent federally funded under the Flood Control and Coastal Emergency (FCCE) program.
The Corps awarded the Pinellas County construction contract to Weeks Marine, Inc., and this project will include renourishment of Treasure Island and Long Key beach segments. The Corps anticipates the contractor will start mobilizing equipment over the next few weeks and complete construction in early September 2014.
The beach renourishment project involves placement of approximately 550,000 cubic-yards of beach quality sand along 15,000 feet of beach at an estimated cost of $16.2 million. The contractor will work from north to south starting with beachfill on Sunshine Beach.
About 500 to 800 feet of beach will be blocked-off at any given time to allow for safety in an active construction area. This means some of Treasure Island and Long Key beach and access areas may be temporarily closed or restricted as construction progresses down the beach.
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Press Release, June 12, 2014